Vehicles may include a power source for generating power. The power source may be any type of suitable energy generating device such as, for example, an engine or a generator.
The engine or generator may provide power for a variety of applications. These applications may involve at least two different kinds of loads such as a work load from a work device or a parasitic load from a parasitic device.
A work device may produce a net work output from the mobile or stationary machine. A work device may be a transmission which may demand power from the engine to propel the wheels, tracks, or other ground engaging propulsion mechanism, or a hydraulic system which may demand power from the engine to move a bucket or a shovel to dig or move soil.
A parasitic device may use the power output from the engine but does not produce a work output from the vehicle. A parasitic device may be an engine cooling fan, a compressor for an air conditioning system and other devices. The engine cooling fan may use engine power to draw air through the radiator to cool the engine. The compressor may use engine power to run the air conditioning system. The parasitic device may reduce the amount of power that is available to the work device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,842,689, in the name of Caterpillar Inc., discloses a system for controlling power that is supplied to a plurality of power consuming devices. The system includes an engine, a main power recipient, such as a transmission, and a plurality of parasitic devices. The system determines a gross power value which is equivalent to the total power demanded by the main power recipient and the parasitic devices. If the gross power is not sufficient to meet demand, the speed of the engine may be increased, thereby producing more power.
US 2009/0143922 A1 discloses a power distribution system which may have a power source configured to generate a power output. The power distribution system may further have a power distribution module configured to distribute power among the parasitic and non-parasitic devices. The power distributed among the non-parasitic devices may be the power remaining after the parasitic devices receive their requested power.
The present disclosure is directed, at least in part, to improving or overcoming one or more aspects of the prior art engine component support structures.